{"title":"The impact of hearing loss and cochlear implantation on the quality of life in children","authors":"Afnan F. Bukhari, Faisal Zawawi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijporl.2024.112069","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>This study evaluates the Quality of Life (QoL) in children with moderate to profound hearing impairments using cochlear implants (CIs), compared to those with normal hearing. It explores the impacts of hearing loss and the effectiveness of CIs in pediatric populations.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Conducted at a tertiary care academic center, this cross-sectional study included children aged 13–18. Participants were divided into three groups: normal hearing, yet to be treated moderate or worse hearing loss (uHL), and CI users. Demographic data were collected, and the QoL was assessed using the Hearing Environments and Reflection of Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) questionnaire, with scores across various subdomains compared.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Of the 79 children meeting the inclusion criteria, 38 % had normal hearing, 29 % had at least moderate HL, and 33 % were CI users. Statistically significant differences in HEAR-QL scores were found among the groups. The normal hearing group reported the highest scores. In the subdomain of hearing circumstances and academic performance, CI users showed no significant difference from the normal hearing group, unlike those with untreated uHL who scored lower. However, in social interaction and emotional well-being subdomains, CI users' scores were lower than those of the normal hearing group but similar to the uHL group.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Children with CIs show comparable QoL in auditory capabilities to their normal hearing peers but experience significant challenges in psychosocial and emotional areas. This indicates that while CIs can improve hearing-related quality of life, they do not fully address the psychosocial impacts of hearing loss.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":1,"journal":{"name":"Accounts of Chemical Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":16.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Accounts of Chemical Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165587624002234","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Background
This study evaluates the Quality of Life (QoL) in children with moderate to profound hearing impairments using cochlear implants (CIs), compared to those with normal hearing. It explores the impacts of hearing loss and the effectiveness of CIs in pediatric populations.
Methods
Conducted at a tertiary care academic center, this cross-sectional study included children aged 13–18. Participants were divided into three groups: normal hearing, yet to be treated moderate or worse hearing loss (uHL), and CI users. Demographic data were collected, and the QoL was assessed using the Hearing Environments and Reflection of Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) questionnaire, with scores across various subdomains compared.
Results
Of the 79 children meeting the inclusion criteria, 38 % had normal hearing, 29 % had at least moderate HL, and 33 % were CI users. Statistically significant differences in HEAR-QL scores were found among the groups. The normal hearing group reported the highest scores. In the subdomain of hearing circumstances and academic performance, CI users showed no significant difference from the normal hearing group, unlike those with untreated uHL who scored lower. However, in social interaction and emotional well-being subdomains, CI users' scores were lower than those of the normal hearing group but similar to the uHL group.
Conclusion
Children with CIs show comparable QoL in auditory capabilities to their normal hearing peers but experience significant challenges in psychosocial and emotional areas. This indicates that while CIs can improve hearing-related quality of life, they do not fully address the psychosocial impacts of hearing loss.
期刊介绍:
Accounts of Chemical Research presents short, concise and critical articles offering easy-to-read overviews of basic research and applications in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. These short reviews focus on research from the author’s own laboratory and are designed to teach the reader about a research project. In addition, Accounts of Chemical Research publishes commentaries that give an informed opinion on a current research problem. Special Issues online are devoted to a single topic of unusual activity and significance.
Accounts of Chemical Research replaces the traditional article abstract with an article "Conspectus." These entries synopsize the research affording the reader a closer look at the content and significance of an article. Through this provision of a more detailed description of the article contents, the Conspectus enhances the article's discoverability by search engines and the exposure for the research.